Part-Time Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) / Accredited Testing Facility (ATF) Assistant

Essential Job Functions

Test Administration and Certification :

• Sets up, administers, and certifies designated welder qualification exams in strict accordance with applicable AWS codes, standards, and testing requirements.
• This work is limited to AWS certification testing and is separate from the assessment of credit courses.

Visual Inspection

Performs formal visual inspections (VT) of fit-ups, root passes, completed weldments, and test samples submitted by examinees for AWS certification testing. These inspections are not used to assign course grades.

Chain of Custody

Enforces strict chain-of-custody protocols for test materials; marks and tracks test coupons from initial distribution through final destruction/analysis.

Sample Preparation and Testing

Operates testing equipment to prepare specimens, including cutting, grinding, and machining, and performs mechanical testing, including guided bend tests, fillet break tests, and macro-etching, in coordination with the Welding Faculty Program Director.

Documentation and Exam Compliance

Completes technical inspection reports, Welder Performance Qualification Records (WPQR), and other required testing records accurately. Follows all applicable AWS requirements when conducting, inspecting, documenting, and certifying designated exams. The Welding Faculty Program Director retains responsibility for the ATF accreditation and the facility’s overall compliance with accreditation requirements.

Safety Enforcement

Monitors the welding lab during testing sessions to ensure all participants adhere to OSHA safety standards and Parkland College laboratory safety protocols.

Operational Support

As needed and as time permits, assists the Welding Faculty Program Director with maintaining and calibrating inspection tools, including gauges, micrometers, and calipers; maintaining testing equipment; and completing other operational tasks that support the testing facility and its standards.

Role Boundaries

This position does not teach, provide course instruction, assess student work for academic credit, assign grades, or make academic decisions. AWS establishes the external standards that govern certification testing but does not supervise this position. Performs other related operational support duties as assigned by the Welding Faculty Program Director, consistent with the non-instructional scope of the position.

Minimum Requirements

• Current AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) credential in good standing is required.
• Proficiency in interpreting welding codes (AWS D1.1 Structural Steel is required).
• Ability to read and interpret complex blueprints and Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS).
• Ability to stand for extended periods (up to 4-6 hours) while proctoring tests.
• Ability to lift and move metal plates, pipes, and testing fixtures weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Visual acuity sufficient to perform detailed visual inspections of welds (corrected vision is acceptable).
• Ability to work in an environment with exposure to welding fumes, UV radiation, and noise (PPE provided).
• Commitment to ethical testing standards and the ability to withhold certification when a weld does not meet applicable AWS requirements.
• Attention to detail and accuracy in measuring, inspecting, certifying, and documenting results.
• Clear verbal and written communication skills to explain certification test results to examinees and report findings to the Welding Faculty Program Director.
• Prospective new hires will successfully complete a post offer, pre-employment criminal background check with fingerprinting.
• The background check review includes, but is not limited to, exclusionary offenses per the Illinois School Code and Title IV of the Higher Education Act.
• In an effort to comply with SURS return-to-work restrictions for employers (40 ILCS 5/15-139.5), candidates for employment at Parkland College must either not be a SURS annuitant or must be willing to suspend his/her SURS annuity upon employment.This applies to all SURS annuitants except those receiving their annuity under either the Self-Managed Plan (SMP) or by lump sum payment.